Melissa R.
Melissa R.
Highlights
Pet care experience
patient, gentle, and experienced!
Je suis en train d'apprendre le français et je suis confortable, plus ou moins, de communiquer en français si vous le préférez! ** my rates are customizable! **I've had a background check via Rover, but I also recently received Permanent Residence in Canada, so I've had my information/background checked by the US government, the Canadian government, and the Quebec government :) **I don't as many QC-related reviews because I was running my own dogsitting business in Massachusetts for a few years. I can provide plenty of recent references from people in the Verdun area though! **Note: my apartment does not allow dogs, so I cannot do dog boarding or daycare in my own home. I can either watch your dog in your home, or arrange something where I go to your place multiple times during the day for feeding, walking, playing, etc. If this is something that sounds like a good option for you, message me and we can talk about possible plans/rates. * * * * * I am an American ex-pat who lives in Verdun. I have done in-home dog-boarding in Massachusetts for eight years, caring for over 150 different dogs during that time and I even had the honour of representing DogVacay (now merged with Rover) in an interview with my local ABC news station! When I started in 2014, I figured I'd keep going as long as I was enjoying it and doing a good job of it. After 12 years and 200+ dogs and dozens of cats, I still get excited about every animal I meet, and I'm proud of how well I'm able to care for each one of them. I've found that I'm especially skilled at understanding animals and their individual needs. I am a very patient/gentle person - with 3 kids plus pets, this has been tested & proven frequently, so I can claim that with confidence. My husband, Marc, is also wonderful with animals (one of the reasons I fell in love with him) and he often gives me a helping hand because he enjoys it too! I also feel lucky to be able to get to know the wonderful owners of all these sweet dogs and cats. Although I am extremely experienced with dog boarding in my home in Massachusetts, in Verdun I am providing dog walking and drop-in services (for any type of pet), as well as house-sitting. I have completed a Pet CPR/First Aid course & am certified. I renewed my certifcation in November 2023. I always send photo and/or video updates - I love being able to make sure both pets and owners feel comfortable, and being able to show an owner that their pet is doing well is important to me.
Cat care experience
Melissa also cares for cats. Learn about their cat-specific care experience.
Qualifications
Pets
Safety, trust & environment
As a parent and as I work here running my own business, I'm extremely responsible, reliable, and attentive to the needs of children and animals, and my clients as well.
Ratings and reviews
Melissa goes above and beyond to make sure you feel secure leaving your pets in her care. She sends a full review, pictures and videos, and my cats loved her! As soon as we met her, she made us feel very comfortable, and we knew it was a good fit. Thank you so much for everything!
Melissa was fantastic. Very responsive and provided lots of photos and info when she visited my cat :)
Very kind, responsive cat sitter, attentive to all details. Very reassuring when away from our furry friends.
Melissa was so lovely and caring for our cat. She provided great updates and went out of her way to tidy up our space before we got home. I definitely recommend booking with her! (And so does Elvis!)
Melissa was a great sitter for our cat Loui. This was our first time hiring a pet sitter and she made us feel at ease the entire time we were away. She is very communicative and sends tons of pictures! Our cat is usually shy of strangers but we could tell from the photos he loved having her there to care for him and he was very comfortable with her! We look forward to booking Melissa again for our next trip away from home. Thank you!!
Melissa est la gardienne parfaite pour votre ou vos chats. Elle a apprivoisé mes deux chats (très timides) en quelques rencontres seulement. Je la recommande chaleureusement! Louis
Calendar and availability
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Schedule
My schedule is super flexible! I can handle short-notice requests easily. I can also respond to requests promptly so that you don't have to waste time trying to make your own plans! House-sitting: I'll be your live-in nanny while you're away! I'll take in your mail, care for your plants, give medication, scoop kitty litter, feed/play with pets, walk dogs, take/send photos and videos, stay overnight with your pet, etc. Drop-in visits: 20 to 30 minutes each visit, though the timing and pay rate is negotiable. I can check on your pet, take in your mail, check your plants, give medication, scoop kitty litter, feed pets, play with pets, take/send photos and videos, etc. Dog-walking: once I have your dog on a leash and we are out the door, we'll take a 30+ minute walk with plenty of time to pee and poop and check out the neighborhood.